Gainsborough: Distraction burglars who targeted a vulnerable man in his own home are jailed

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Published:14:50Wednesday 28 October 2015

A pair of distraction burglars who targeted a vulnerable Gainsborough man in his own home were today (Wednesday, October 28) each jailed for three and a half years at Lincoln Crown Court.

Anita Gray, 48, and Gary Holmes, 42, were found guilty of burgling the home of Donald Hudson at a trial earlier this year.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, told them: “This was a planned offence. Your victim was clearly targeted because he was vulnerable.”

The incident happened after Gray called at Mr Hudson’s home in South Parade, Gainsborough, requesting to use the toilet.

She was allowed inside but then asked for some water.

While Mr Hudson went to fetch the water Gray went into the sitting room and then Holmes arrived. The pair left moments later. Mr Hudson discovered his new camera was missing and called police.

Mr Hudson told the court he bought the camera just three weeks earlier for around £80 or £90 and was planning a trip to Lincoln to take some photographs.

He said: “I didn’t ask her to come in, she just came in.

“She said she wanted to use the toilet at first, which she never did, and then she asked for some water.”

Mr Hudson said he believed he may have seen the woman before.

He added: “She was always begging for money. I saw her in the Market Place one time.”

Gray, 48, of Queensway, Gainsborough, and Holmes, 42, of Dunstall Walk, Gainsborough, both denied a charge of burglary following the incident on December, 10, 2013. Holmes also admitted an attempt burglary at a house in Clinton Terrace, Gainsborough, in August this year.

The court heard that Gray had a number of previous convictions for similar distraction burglaries but none in the last 10 years while Holmes had committed previous house burglaries.

David Stanton, for Gray, said: “She is vulnerable to drink, drugs and bad company. She is her own worst enemy.”

Gordon Holt, for Holmes, said: “He realises that he has got to make some changes in his life and significant changes so that the rest of his life is not characterised by this sort of offending.”